Combined cattle-guard and halter.



J. J. STEELE & D. D. OWENS.

COMBINED CATTLE GUARD AND HALTER- APPLICATION FILED APR-.28, 1910.

968,279. Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH J. STEELE AND DELONA D. OWENS, OF ANSON, TEXAS; SAID OWENSASSIGNOR TO SAID STEELE.

COMBINED CATTLE-GUARD. AND HALTER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J. J. STEELE and D. D. OWENS, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Anson, in the county of Jones and State ofTexas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CombinedCattle-Guards and Halters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined cattle guard and halter, and moreparticularly to a guard for preventing the animal from forcing its waythrough a fence or other inclosure and partly destroying the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a durable, practical andefficient device of this character whereby the guard forming a part ofthe halter will not in any way inconvenience the freedom of the animalin grazing, feeding or drinking, and further providing a halter to whicha rope may be conveniently attached for leading the animal or tying thesame within a barn or other place.

A further object of the invention is to construct a guard in such amanner that the same will automatically remain in its proper andoperative position notwithstanding the position of the head of theanimal, and in properly strengthening the halter and parts carriedthereby throughout their entire construction, and thus rendering thesame pliable and self-conforming when applied about the animals head,the metallic parts of the halter being properly cushioned to protect themetallic connections passing through the several parts.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription and it will be understood that changes in the specificstructure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claimswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the completeinvention, Fig. 2is a horizontal sectional view of the band and partsaccompanying the same for encircling the lower portion of the head ofthe animal, Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the completeinvention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents an elliptical shaped metallicband which approximately conforms to the shape of the head of the animaladjacent to its mouth, and is provided with two terminal fiat eX-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 28, 1910.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910. Serial No. 558,142.

tensions 2 which are normally located parallel to one another butseparated from each other, each of said extensions being provided withopenings 3 for loosely receiving a bolt 4 upon the screwthreaded end ofwhich is adjustably secured a nut 5, for limiting the expansion of themetallic band 1.

Loosely mounted upon the bolt 4 between the extension 3 of the metallicband 1 is a hooked arm 6, the upper end of which is provided with an eye7 through which the said bolt freely passes, the said arm being therebysuspended by the latter and is caused to always assume a verticalposition independently of the position of the head of the animal. Thehooked arm 6 is provided with an engaging terminal end 8 which pointstoward the face of the animal, the said arm being of any suitable lengthto accomplish the desired result and operative in a manner to behereinafter described.

Rigidly secured to the forward. medial portion of the metallic band 1and to the outer surface thereof is the lower end of a tapering plate 9,which extends upwardly along the face of the animal to a suitable heightand having its terminal end bent outwardly as shown at 10, which isadapted to 1come in contact with the fence wire or rai Secured to theinner surface of the metallic band 1 and extending entirely around itselliptical shaped portion is a strip of leather 11 or other pliablematerial which is secured to the said metallic band by rivets 12,properly spaced and arranged to hold the lining 11 in its properposition.

Passing around the metallic band 1 is the lower looped end 13 of a strap14, the free end of which carries a buckle 15 and likewise secured tothe opposite side of the metallic band is a similar strap 16 havingsuitable openings formed in its terminal free end for the usualadjustable engagement with the buckle 15 carried by the strap 14,whereby the halter and parts carried there by may be removably securedto the animals head when the said straps are properly connected andpassed over the head of the ani mal. In order to more properly securethe straps 14 and 16 to the metallic band 1 and hold them in theirrespective positions for buckling engagement with one another, branchlooped straps 17 are passed around the metallic band and have their freeends riveted or otherwise secured to the straps l at a suitable distanceabove the looped portions thereof.

The rivets 12 are properly positioned to cause the same to be locatedbetween the looped ends of the straps 1 1 and 16 and also between thesimilar ends of the straps 17, whereby said looped ends are yieldinglybut securely held in their proper position in respect to themetallicband for properly supporting the latter, the leather strip 11forming the lining for the band passing over the looped ends of thestraps and projecting therefrom a sufficient distance to form contactingcushions 18 which come in direct contact with the head of the animal.

Secured to the front face of the plate 9 is a staple 19 which is locatedimmediately below the outwardly projecting end of said plate, throughwhich staple a strap 20 is loosely passed, one end of which is providedwith a buckle 21 and having its opposite ends perforated for engagementwith said buckle, whereby said strap may be adjusted about the upperportion of the head of the animal in rear of the horns of the same, thesaid strap 20 being secured to the straps l4.- and 16 adjacentto theends thereof by rivets 23, whereby the nose plate 9 is properly held inits position in respect to the face of the animal. Also loosely carriedby the bolt it between the extensions 3 of the metallic band 1 is a ring2% to which is secured one end of a rope 25 for leading or tying theanimal in the usual manner.

The device herein shown and described may be readily attached to thehead of the animal when the ends of the straps are disconnected in theusual manner with the mouth of the animal projecting a sufficientdistance below the metallic band 1 and while in this position the endsof the several straps are buckled over the head and behind the horns ofsaid animal, in which position the hooked arm 6 will assume aperpendicular position.

As before stated the metallic band 1 is resilient and in its normalposition will be in yielding contact with the lower portion of the headof the animal, the bolt l permitting the band to expand a sufficientdistance to accommodate itself to different shapes and sizes and contourof the animals head above its mouth. I

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that should theanimal make an attempt to escape through a fence or other inclosure, thehooked arm 6 will engage with one of the wires or rails of the fence bythe upward movement of the head and by a downward movement of the headof the animal the outwardly projecting extension 10 of the face plate 9will come in contact with one of the wires or rails of the fence abovethe animals head, whereby it is impossible for the animal to force itshead through and between the wires or rails of the fence.

In carrying out the invention the rivets 23 are preferably dispensedwith leaving the straps 14; and 16 free to be adjusted independently ofthe band 20, whereby the uniting ends of said straps may be properlyadjusted and fastened in a desirable position about the head of theanimal adjacent to the horns of the same.

Vhat is claimed. is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a halter adapted to besecured about the animals head, a resilient band forming a part of saidhalter, the terminal ends of said band being bent outwardly andseparated therefrom and provided with suitable openings, a bolt passingthrough said openings for limiting the expanding position of the band, aface plate secured to the forward portion of the band and having itsupper end, bent outwardly, and a hooked arm loosely depending from saidhalter, as and for the purpose described.

A device of the character described comprising an elliptical shapedresilient band adapted to encircle the head of an animal, the terminalends of said band being bent outwardly and separated therefrom andprovided with suitable openings, a bolt passing through said openingsfor limiting the expanding position of the band, pliable materialsecured to the inner surface of said band, straps having looped endspassing around the said band, a portion of which is covered by thepliable lining forming suitable eushions around the band about thelooped portions of the straps, and means depending from said bolt forengagement with the wire or rail of a fence as and for the purposedescribed.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures, in presence of twowitnesses.

JOSEPH J. STEELE. DELONA D. OWVENS. lVitnesses Sn). G. CASTLES, HARVEYlVARREN.

